#BlogTour All About Us by Tom Ellen

 

Today it's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour All About Us by Tom Ellen and it's Paperback Publication Day!

About the Author

Tom Ellen is the co-author of three critically acclaimed Young Adult novels: Lobsters (which was shortlisted for the Bookseller's inaugural YA Book Prize), Never Evers and Freshers. His books have been widely translated and are published in 15 countries. He is a  regular contributor to Viz magazine, and as a journalist he has written for Cosmopolitan, Empire, Evening Standard Magazine, Glamour, NME, Shortlist, Time Out, Vice and many more. All About Us is his debut adult novel.

Follow @TomEllen7 on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy All About Us

About the book

If you could turn back the clock, would you choose a different life?

Ben’s always loved the month of December, but this year, with his relationship with Daphne on the rocks, it’s missing its usual magic. And then his old friend Alice gets back in touch. Ben’s always thought of Alice as the one that got away, and he can’t help but wonder: what if he’d done things differently all those years ago?

He never imagines he might get to find out… but when a stranger sells Ben a mysterious watch one freezing winter’s night, he’s astonished to wake up the next morning on 5th December 2005: the day he first kissed Daphne, leaving Alice behind.

Now Ben must make the biggest decision of his life, all over again. But this time around, will he finally find the courage to follow his heart?

Review

Ben has the perfect life and a beautiful life, well that's what he tells himself. He also wonders what would have happened if he had chosen another woman when he had the chance. Would he be the man he always wanted to be instead of never quite aspiring to his own ambitions.

Instead he lives a life full of regret and searches for blame in all the wrong places, everywhere except with himself. His memories have adjusted themselves to suit the narrative he has built around his life, which of course is often the case.

I think the premise is something plenty of people will think of now and again. What if? We all come to important crossroads in our lives and ultimately make decisions that shape our lives. Some of those crossroads are the ones that stay with us, because when life becomes a bit bumpy it's only natural to think about what it would be like if we had taken a different path.

Ellen takes that simple concept, combines it with a wee bit of Dickens Christmas ghosts past, present and future, and turns it into a contemporary read every reader can relate to. I especially enjoyed the fact it has a man as the main character, as opposed to the typical woman reflects on her disastrous love life tale.

It's also very much a story about trusting your instincts, coping with grief and loss, mistaking regret for a realistic second chance. Sometimes the right choice is what you squander away while you spend your time looking for something better. Grass isn't greener on the other side - it's still just green grass.

Buy All About Us at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ; pub date 20 Aug. 2020. Buy at Amazon.com.